Our aspiration for every learner:

Science is essential in developing pupils’ ability to understand the world in which they live in and how it works. At Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, we aim to inspire and foster our pupils’ natural curiosity and interest in the world around them through nurturing their enquiring minds and developing their scientific approach to problem-solving. Our science curriculum has a focus on developing and extending pupils’ scientific skills through a wide range of interactive, child-led and cross-curricular investigations which are both purposeful and engaging. We believe that when pupils are engaged with science, their language of communication is enhanced as they are exposed to new vocabulary and begin to express their ideas more freely. Our curriculum enables pupils to be able to understand science wherever they are, be it at school or at home.

With science and innovation the driving force behind sustaining and maintaining our modern society, we aim to offer our pupils a wealth of positive science experiences that will encourage them to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) related jobs in the future.

Our core principles of science, developed with staff and pupils, outline our aims and objectives. We know good science teaching and learning is happening at our school when...

• We encourage and acknowledge our pupils’ natural curiosity 
• Our pupils are able talk about their learning using scientific vocabulary
• Our pupils are active and are engaged in their learning through practical ‘hands-on’ activities.
• Our pupils enjoy learning about Science both in school and at home
• Our pupils are asking questions and have a desire to investigate and explore
• Our pupils are able to make links to the broader curriculum and their life experience
• Our pupils have access to a wide range of engaging resources 
• Our pupils lead their own learning, carrying out and planning investigations to help provide an answer to their own questions
• Our learning is taught both indoors and outdoors 
• Our pupils understand that making mistakes is all part of the learning process 
• Learning is recorded in a variety of ways 

Each half term, pupils study a unit of science which is taught progressively year on year. This allows children to make links in their investigations and enquiry of the sections of the National Curriculum.

The science curriculum is based on the three disciplines and around the following themes: -:

Sc1 Scientific enquiry 
Sc2 Life processes and living things (Biology)
Sc3 Materials and their properties (Chemistry)
Sc4 Physical processes (Physics)

During Key Stage 1

Pupils observe, explore and ask questions about living things, materials and phenomena. They begin to work together to collect evidence to help them answer questions and to link this to simple scientific ideas. They evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or comparisons are fair. They use reference materials to find out more about scientific ideas. They share their ideas and communicate them using scientific language, drawings, charts and tables.

During Key Stage 2 

Pupils learn about a wider range of living things, materials and phenomena. They begin to make links between ideas and to explain things using simple models and theories. They apply their knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas to familiar phenomena, everyday things and their personal health. They begin to think about the positive and negative effects of scientific and technological developments on the environment and in other contexts. They carry out more systematic investigations, working on their own and with others. They use a range of reference sources in their work. They talk about their work and its significance, and communicate ideas using a wide range of scientific language, conventional diagrams, charts and graphs.  The units of work we study are around the four areas noted above.

How can you support your child?

The best way you can support your child is to explore scientific concepts through completing everyday tasks, such as cooking, gardening and using electrical appliances. Ask your child to explain their understanding of what might be happening and explore these together.

There are several websites that can support your child’s scientific learning, here are some suggestions.

BBC Bite Size         Weebly         Science for Kids

How we support our pupils to acquire this learning:

• A spiral curriculum delivery so that pupils repeatedly encounter key scientific vocabulary and knowledge enabling them to commit these to long term memory and acquire the knowledge and skills. 
• A clear cohesive curriculum from Early Years through to Secondary to ensure pre and post learning can be assessed to ensure acquisition of knowledge is progressive. This is represented in our ‘Big Pictures’ which details the expected learning, structure and progression for the learning.
• Cross curricular links to ensure scientific skills are being developed and reinforced in other subjects to reinforce the importance of subject specialism in developing wider skills.
• An enquiry question for each topic to act as a hook and add an element of mystery and purpose to pupil’s learning. 
• High quality CPD for all staff via the online ‘Reach Out’ Platform, twilight sessions, team teaching opportunities and guidance documents to ensure all staff have high levels of subject knowledge.
• The use of concrete hands-on resources, including the use of facilities across the MAT, to support pupils' practical understanding, scaffold learning and cater to different learning styles. Pupils will also have further opportunities through extra curricular activities, workshops and trips. 
• Embedding the silver Science Award and ASPIRE to achieve the gold award through continuing to liaise with the whole school community. 
• Speaking and listening opportunities are planned for throughout Science to ensure pupils have the opportunity to articulate and construct their knowledge and understanding of the world. Pupils will have regular opportunities to discuss their hypotheses, predictions and observations with scaffolded expectations to ensure high levels of articulation is achieved.
• School initiatives like the ‘Playground Science Bag’ encourages our pupils to be inquisitive learners who reason and problem solve.
• Collaboration with the ECO Committee to develop cross curricular links are outlined within the ‘Big Picture.’
• Many opportunities for children to link their learning to the other curriculum areas in that term
• Many opportunities to read, write and practise maths through science
• Links will be made to STEM related jobs to broaden the pupils knowledge of the Wider World and so that they ASPIRE to pursue these jobs.

Primary Science Quality Mark

The Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) is an award scheme to celebrate the quality of science teaching and learning in primary schools.